Stupak votes to pass health care reform bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) voted late Saturday, Nov. 7, to pass H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. The bill, which marks the most significant reform to government and private health insurance programs since Medicare and Medicaid were created in 1965, passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 220 to 215.

"The vote in the U.S. House of Representatives tonight brought us one step closer to health care for all Americans, a goal that President Teddy Roosevelt first pushed for in 1912," Stupak said. "As health care costs financially drain families, businesses and government, the time to reform our health care system and ensure all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care is now."

The legislation includes important reforms for all Americans, insured and uninsured, young and old. For seniors, key improvements to Medicare include additional prescription drug coverage beginning next year and eventually closing the "donut hole." Seniors on Medicare will also, for the first time ever, have preventative care such as checkups and routine exams covered at 100 percent cost.

H.R. 3962 also addresses critical reforms in the health care industry that Stupak has identified through his hearings as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, such as prohibiting insurance companies from discriminating based on pre-existing conditions, eliminating life-time caps on benefits and eliminating the practice of rescission, or cancelling insurance coverage for any excuse when policyholders become seriously ill.

When the House health care reform draft was first released in June, Stupak identified four key concerns that had to be addressed to gain his support. The bill had to do more to inject real competition into the health care industry, which has been accomplished with a repeal of the anti-trust exemption for the health care insurance industry and the creation of public health insurance option.

Stupak’s concerns over the quality and cost of health care were addressed by eliminating geographic disparities in Medicare reimbursement rates to ensure that health care providers are paid based on quality of care rather than quantity of procedures. Medicare providers in Northern Michigan are currently reimbursed at between $6,000 and $8,000 per patient, compared to more than $16,000 in Miami and some other regions of the country.

"H.R. 3962 will put us closer to the day when the cost of medical care no longer results in bankruptcy," Stupak said. "Parents of children born with chronic illnesses will no longer live in fear of losing their employer-sponsored health insurance or running up against annual or life-time caps. Passing this bill is a monumental step toward providing all Americans peace of mind in knowing that health care will always be there for them."

Stupak’s final concern was that members of Congress must be afforded the opportunity to vote their conscience on the issue of public funding of abortion. After months of negotiations fell apart, Stupak was allowed a vote on an amendment to H.R. 3962 that would continue existing law of prohibiting the use of federal funds to pay for abortion and health insurance policies that cover abortion. The Stupak Amendment passed the House by a vote of 240 to 194, ensuring that more than 30 years of federal policy of not funding abortions is maintained.

The bill also specifically prohibits illegal immigrants from receiving public assistance to purchase health insurance; is completely paid for resulting in no increase in the federal deficit; and, forces no one into a government health care program.

"All Americans deserve the right to quality, affordable health care coverage," Stupak said. "The vote in the House is an important step forward but not the end of the road. The Senate must now consider a health care bill. It is my hope the Senate will still act this year so we can send a bill to President Obama’s desk and finally provide national health care that presidents have been advocating for nearly a century."

Editor's Note: This text was provided by Congressman Stupak's office. To read a detailed account of the Nov. 7, 2009, health care vote in the House of Representatives, including Video clips, see the Huffington Post Web site.